If you regularly experience the unpleasant feelings of dehydration, then you could be compromising your overall health more than you know. This is particularly true if you lead an incredibly active lifestyle and don’t always have fluids on hand. It becomes easy to ignore that dry throat feeling, especially when you’re rushing about your day, trying to tick off all the items on your to-do list. Why is it so essential to curb the symptoms of dehydration in the early stages, and just what are the signs to look for?
You’ve probably heard it many times before, but even the sensation of a dry throat means you’re already dehydrated. However, a dry throat is just one of the many signs, with other less subtle symptoms being easily overlooked or perhaps even blamed on other lifestyle factors.
The average adult produces around one and a half liters of urine per day, with a further liter lost through breathing, sweating and through bowel movements. You know why you’re always told you need to drink at least 2.5L of water, and that’s without factoring in any exercise!
Unexplained change in mood
We’ve all been there before. Your day is going great, and you’re feeling pretty upbeat and positive about life. Then suddenly, as if out of nowhere, it takes the smallest event, whether a driver is cutting you off in traffic or someone slurping their soup loudly, to ignite a feeling of anger or frustration within.
You may have had a great night’s sleep, eat a healthy diet, have a stress-free job and life overall, but if you’re dehydrated, this might explain your sudden change in mood. Studies show that mild dehydration significantly alters mood score, fatigue, confusion, and anger.
Dwindling cognitive performance
You’ve likely experienced how your ability to think is affected by a lack of fluid intake. Studies show that even the smallest loss of water at 1-2% of body mass can impair cognitive function. Mild dehydration results in short-term memory problems, anxiety, and poor concentration.
With the brain being comprised of 73% water, it helps to understand why your mind might have so much trouble carrying out everyday mental tasks when you’re mildly dehydrated.
The next time you have trouble concentrating on one thing at a time or are struggling with basic problem-solving skills, you should first evaluate your water intake for that day (before reaching for another coffee.)
Decreased physical performance
In our modern-day world of Instagram fitness models, you tend to see many models clutching the latest and greatest supplement products that greatly enhance performance. Still, we have to remember to take it back to basics.
Adequate hydration is hugely underestimated, especially during exercise. When you work out, your core temperature is raised, along with your heart rate. You have a much higher loss of fluids and critical electrolytes through sweat and breath. When you don’t replace that fluid loss, you decrease your power output, meaning you reach a state of exhaustion or fatigue much more rapidly.
To understand the importance of hydration, it helps to know that your muscles are made up of around 70-75% water. Water is vital for the lubrication of joints, transportation of nutrients, and boosting cardiovascular function.
When you focus on staying hydrated throughout your workout, don’t be surprised if you reach your personal bests a lot faster, whether kicking targets of muscle growth or overall improved cardio performance.
Water truly does affect every cell in your body and alters both your physical and psychological state. By keeping on top of your hydration needs, you are ensuring you bring the most vibrant version of yourself. You are now equipped with some of the latest scientific findings on fluid intake’s importance and how to spot the early signs of dehydration.
You can also shop for coconut water at HydraCoco that keeps your hydrated all day long.
